Wool industry battle returns to court

A long-running wool industry legal battle will head back to the courts after the Supreme Court threw out its own previous ruling on the grounds of judicial bias.

A 2005 High Court judgement found in favour of the Saxmere wool growers group which is seeking millions of dollars in compensation from the former Wool Board, which refused to provide the company with marketing money.

The High Court judgement was overturned by the Court of Appeal in 2007.

The Supreme Court then declined Saxmere's application for a further appeal.

The woolgrowers countered that by filing a case suggesting that one of the Appeal Court Judges, Justice Bill Wilson may have had a conflict of interest because he co-owned a horse stud with one of the Wool Board's lawyers.

The Supreme Court agreed with them and said Justice Wilson should never have sat on the case.

It has recalled the previous judgement and has granted leave for Saxmere to have its appeal heard before a new panel.